1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to water vehicles and more particularly has reference to towed water sleds having steering mechanisms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The water sled is used in a fashion similar to water skis and aquaplanes, i.e., while being towed behind a speedboat. It has the maneuverability of water skis with the advantage of freeing the rider from the strain of holding the tow rope and the other physical demands required to maneuver on skis. The aquaplane, which has the towline attached, makes minimal physical demands upon the rider yet is virtually unsteerable. Modifications to the aquaplane design have yet to produce effective steering control. Still other designs appear to allow relative position control with respect to the tow boat yet do not cause the bow of the sled to point in the direction of relative movement.
The present invention is an improvement upon a towed vehicle such as a watersled which is intended for use in the field of water sports and recreation. The invention improves upon the watersled previously disclosed by Casciano in U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,945.
The sled to which this invention applies is towed behind a powered vehicle such as a motorboat in a manner similar to water skis. A seated rider can steer the sled back and forth across the boat wake by pulling on or releasing a control rope which passes through an opening in the front of the sled and attaches to the tow rope. The tow rope is in turn attached to the stern of the sled.
The prior sled design does not provide a cleat vitally needed for intermediate extension of the control rope when performing sharp maneuvers from one side of the boat to the other known as cutbacks. In the previous Casciano patent, the cleat is placed on the deck between the rider's legs, near his body, making it very difficult for the rider to hold the strain of the control rope and effect cleating.
The prior sled provides a means for holding the tow rope close to the hull which causes drag and vibration and performs ineffectively. In addition, excessive drag is caused by the ring to which the tow rope is attached at the stern.
The prior sled does not provide means for adjusting the trim of the sled for riders of varying weights. Also, the construction process described in the earlier patent, using a rigid material such as fiberglass for the hull, can cause minor bumps and bruises to the rider.
The previous design has no means for preventing the control rope from sliding further along on the tow rope to the rear than is desired for optimum stability when the sled is out to one side of the boat. The present invention prevents abrupt reversal of the towed vehicle by preventing excessive rearward movement of the control rope-tow rope connection.